I woke up to the same annoying alarm the next day. Samara didn't talk to me yesterday but the burns because of the soup on my hand had ointment on it. she did make me good lunch, snacks and dinner, gave me some books on politics and healing from traumas. By now I was already regretting everything I had done to her yesterday. The book I read also mentioned of 'how we inflict our traumas onto others when they don't know of it in the slightest' this made me regret even more.
I decided to not put any resistance today, I woke up and shut the alarm, I could see shadow near the door 'samara must have been standing outside', I didn't know what to say so I just asked her to come in, "I am awake, you can come in" The door creaked open, with my morning breakfast in her hand she came in silently. I guess she won't be speaking "I will get ready fast so today I get more time in the hot water bath today" I was waiting for her reaction but she just bowed down and said "Yes dear." But I could tell she felt relief after hearing that.
I had my breakfast and went in for the bath, I demanded for the book I was reading yesterday so samara went and got it from my bedside. I wasn't allowed to dip my arms in the tub anyways so I decided to read to keep them a little busy. "Samara, can I take the bath little longer today?" I was expecting she would talk a little more, that samara who would come in like a little wrecking ball in my daily routine and my physiotherapy. But all she replied was "sure dear"
'Ahh this is so frustrating, I want her to be normal again!' So I thought for sometime and I got it, she always so particular with the temperature and other detail and I decided to get a reaction from there, "Say samara, since you said it's fine and you don't mind How about I take a bath for one whole hour, It would be lovely. OH! but the water temperature would drop down easily in this weather, I guess some lukewarm water won't do me any harm"
Samara looked at me all panicked and said "Absolutely not dear, you don't take the bath one minute more than 20 minutes, I will personally come in and drain the water if you do so, we need good healing for your body! Now go fast before the temperature starts to drop". Bingo! 'hehe she is such a baby, she is somehow cute when she does that unlike the therapy samara who purely scary' I smiled as she let those walls down again.
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I was done for the day with all the torture that samara rained upon me in the name of physiotherapy, 'should have let her stay with those walls on till it all was over'. I flopped on my bed after having a tasty and full meal for lunch, I didn't have much to do so I took the book I was reading. As I went through the book, the guilt of having lashed at samara not once but twice yesterday was still there 'I should apologies to her, probably when she brings me that yuck medicinal soup'
Just then there was a knock on the bedroom door, I waited for samara to directly come inside or say something but there was no response so I asked, "Yes?" the door flew open and Brian stood there holding black clothes and a big proud smile on his face 'ughh! what a fake jerk'. He came in pointing towards the sofa asking me to join him there, samara followed him with champagne. I didn't understand the reason for celebration so I cluelessly walked to the sofa keeping a safe distance between me and Brian, I hadn't forgotten about the fact that I was still held a captive and what his son and him have done to me.
"Congratulations aphie!!" Brian said it in a very merry tone while handing me a graduation hat and the black coat. I looked at him confused as much as I know there were still 2 more months for the college to end, "what is this?" I asked politely not wanting any trouble. Brian took the coat and wrapped it around my shoulder saying, "You are officially a architect aphie" then he put the graduation hat on my head and while adjusting it to a certain angle said "You have officially passed and graduated, I dean Brian anderson proudly give you your official degree today as a bright student like you graduates our college with flying colours" He handed me the paper roll with a red ribbon in his hand.
"What does this mean?" I was very confused, "I mean there are still months before college ends and my project..." before I could finish speaking Brian popped the champagne bottle and poured it in two glasses for us. He handed me one glass "To aphie!" and clinked his glass to mine. He looked very happy 'totally fake!', he took seat and pointed me to sit as well.
I was very confused at this point so I was more assertive this time, "What is going on I don't understand, What is all this about graduation? about you being the dean part? and what about my project how do I get this degree without that?" He laughed as I rampaged him with questions but I looked in his eyes with determination. He finally spoke calmly, "Aphie you have graduated today this is your actual degree, A lot happened after shagen died and I needed to get the degree for my son so I replaced her. He got in through illegal means anyways and I wanted him to atleast graduate without them, what better way than becoming the dean and granting the degree to him myself"
He was making some sense now but the paper roll in my hand wasn't, he laughed his typical fake laughter and continued, "Well since I had the liberty to, I sent in one of the world's best architect in your stead to do your project and look she finished early!" he said pointing at the paper in my hand. "You did put up with a lot aphie so I thought I could atleast do this much for you. So now you can wipe this one tension of your head and celebrate!" He picked up his glass for a toss asking me to do the same "To aphie's graduation, our new emerging architect!" I fake smiled and drank the champagne.
Its true that one tension was off me but that was my dream project, there was nothing more heartbreaking to me at this point. I wanted to cry, I wanted to throw a fit, That was the one project that I assured my dad I would get and so was allowed a far away education. I had graduated but I was not a bit happy about it anymore.